There hasn't been a ball kicked yet, but we can already safely say that the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup will be the biggest ever.
Ticket sales are through the roof for the tournament in England, while the 82,000 Twickenham final is already sold out.
That final on 27 September will be far from the minds of the Irish players though, as they look forward to their first World Cup game since 2017 after failing to qualify for the tournament in New Zealand three years ago.
Of course we can dream about Scott Bemand's side upsetting the odds and going on a World Cup run, just as they did at WXV last year. Splitting the tournament into bitesize chunks is the first step, and that starts with securing their quarter-final spot.
The layout of Ireland's Pool C games has been kind. With Japan and Spain up first, they can put all of their focus into securing two wins, which would guarantee them a spot in the knockouts, and allow them take on the Black Ferns in Brighton on 7 September with everything to gain and nothing to lose.
TV
Ireland v Japan will be live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with coverage getting under way at 11.30am.
Meanwhile, England v USA (Friday, 7.30pm), Scotland v Wales (Saturday, 2.45pm) and France v Italy (Saturday, 8.15pm) are also live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Canada v Fiji (Saturday, 5.30pm), South Africa v Brazil (Sunday, 2.45pm) and New Zealand v Spain (Sunday, 5.30pm) are all live on RTÉ Player.
RADIO
Listen to live commentary of Ireland v Japan on RTÉ 2fm, with Michael Corcoran joined by Sharon Lynch at Franklins Gardens in Northampton.
ONLINE
There will be a live blog on www.rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app, as well as match report, reaction and a special RTÉ Rugby podcast recapping the game.
WEATHER
It's going to be a warm afternoon in Northampton in Sunday, with temperatures around 18C by kick-off, and expected to be up above 20C by full-time, with very little wind and no rain forecast.
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Ireland and Japan have met seven times before in the women's game, with this Sunday's meeting coming almost exactly three years on from their two-Test series in 2022.
Ireland were 57-22 winners when the sides met in Shizuoka, with Dannah O'Brien, Aoife Dalton and Méabh Deely among those who made their debuts that afternoon, before Japan won the second of those Tests 29-10 in Tokyo, the only time they've beaten Ireland.
With defending champions New Zealand also in this pool, it's expected that Ireland and Japan will be fighting it out for the right to join them in the quarter-finals.
Japan actually faced Spain twice this summer, winning 30-19 and 32-19, although both games were played in Japan, where the Sakura XV perform considerably stronger.
The schedule is on Ireland's side though. Bemand's side know that they can be guaranteed a quarter-final place even before they have to think about taking on the Black Ferns, with victories this week and next week versus Spain securing their place in the knockouts.
Winger Béibhinn Parsons says it's a 'dream come true' as Ireland get ready for the opening #WRWC2025 clash against Japan #RTERugby #RTESport pic.twitter.com/gGcKVOQsq0
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) August 22, 2025
Bemand has made four changes to his side from the most recent warm-up defeat to Canada, with co-captains Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon both returning to the pack.
McMahon, who missed the warm-up games with a knee injury, starts in place of Ivana Kiripati at openside flanker for her first World Cup appearance.
Monaghan comes back into the second row to partner Ruth Campbell, with Fiona Tuite moving into the back row and Grace Moore dropping to the bench in the other change to the forwards.
Amee-Leigh Costigan returns on the left wing, with Anna McGann among the replacements, while Eve Higgins swaps with Enya Breen, starting alongside Aoife Dalton in the centre.
Aoibheann Reilly takes the hotly contested scrum-half spot, with Emily Lane among the replacements, with the rest of the side as expected.
Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald is the only player in the Irish matchday squad with previous World Cup experience.
TEAMS
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O'Brien; Aoibheann Reilly, Niamh O'Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Sam Monaghan (co-captain); Fiona Tuite, Edel McMahon (co-captain), Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon, Grace Moore, Emily Lane, Enya Breen, Anna McGann.
Japan: Sora Nishimura; Misaki Matsumara, Mana Furuta, Haruka Hirotsu, Komachi Imakugi; Ayasa Otsuka, Moe Tsukui; Sachiko Kato, Asuka Kuge, Wako Kitano; Yuna Sato, Otoka Yoshimura; Masami Kawamura, Iroha Nagata (capt), Seina Saito
Replacements: Kotomi Taniguchi, Manami Mine, Nijiho Nagata, Ayana Sakurai, Kyoko Hosokawa, Megumi Abe, Minori Yamamoto, Sakurako Hatada
OFFICIALS
Referee: Clara Munarini (FIR)
Assistant Referee 1: Precious Pazani (ZIM) Assistant Referee 2: Amelia Luciano (USAR)
TMO: Matteo Liperini (FIR) FPRO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
Japan 29-10 Ireland (27 August 2022, Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium, Tokyo)
Japan 22-57 Ireland (20 August 2022, Ecopa Stadium, Shizuoka)
Ireland 15-12 Japan (20 November 2021, RDS)
Ireland 24-14 Japan (13 August 2017, UCD Bowl)
